


take a chance (on me)

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Based on a Tumblr Post, Eren is a cutie, Eren is a nerd, Everyone is a dork, Fluff, Freckles, I Blame Tumblr, Insecurity, Levi is popular, M/M, Stuttering, also, also an asshole, an art nerd, because they're always necessary, but everyone is okay with this, seriously, soccer happens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 02:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4373522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi had never been very approachable. He was the guy with the 24/7 bitch face, the one who scowled more than smiled and whose regular stare was more of a glare than anything else. He was intimidating, even at his height of 5’3’’ and hardly anyone tried to work their way into his life past the large group of friends he’d accumulated over the years. Sure, there were the people that said ‘hey’, the ones who asked him for a piece of paper in class or who wished him luck on the next soccer game, but there was a difference between making small talk and actually investing yourself in getting to know a person. The only people who’d put forth that effort were the ones constantly surrounding him, his teammates and childhood friends. This is why, when a red faced boy managed to catch him at the end of school, Levi was pleasantly surprised by what followed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	take a chance (on me)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [melodyhina123](https://archiveofourown.org/users/melodyhina123/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sobs in a corner as I write more things that aren't the next chapter to don't drown in the sea* I'm sorry. Tumblr happens.
> 
>  
> 
> Inspired by [this ](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/124461879089/modern-au-thing)post

The day was long and muggy, leaving Levi more exhausted than usual. He hated the heat, hated the way it made his skin clammy and gross and he hated the fact that he didn’t even have to sweat to get that way. It made the drone of teachers insufferable, the steady tick tick ticking of the clock going by too slow in his opinion. He was grateful when eighth period came to a close, though ninth was no less annoying. Whoever came up with the idea to give him study hall the last period of the day was an ass. He had nothing to distract himself while he waited another forty minutes, and with practice after school he couldn’t even go home early to rid himself of the oppressive weather. Nothing that is, except to use the gym showers.

Farlan, of course, laughed at his disgruntlement, well used to Levi’s ways. Though, that didn’t stop him from questioning the logic in his decision. “You know you’re just going to get dirty again during practice, right? Shouldn’t you wait?”

“To feel like something that belongs stuck on the bottom of your shoe?” Levi scoffed, collecting his things. “I’ll pass, thanks.” He nodded to the teacher, earning a distracted wave of approval. “I’ll meet you on the field.”

Farlan sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Try not to use all the hot water, would ya? We need some of that for you know, _after_ we get dirty.”

“You’re already dirty,” was Levi’s offhand response as he slipped out of the door before Farlan could turn the words into something that would surely make Levi wonder why they were even friends in the first place.

Walking through the school, the halls were thankfully quite quiet. Few people passed him on his way to the gym, and those that did didn’t bother talking, which was fine with him. He supposed his purposeful stride and unhappy frown helped to dissuade them, though he didn’t really care enough to put much thought into it. All he wanted was to peel his restricting clothing off and wash away the clammy feeling of his skin. The water would feel wonderful after a day’s worth of humidity, even if he would get dirty again right after.

Quickening his strides as the hallway to the locker room came into view, Levi nearly tripped over a pair of legs turning the corner. Cursing under his breath he stumbled, nearly going down before with a hard slap of his combat boots against the tile he steadied himself. Turning around, Levi stared down at the owner of the legs. Admittedly, it was hard to see who it was with their head bowed, hands rubbing at the spot where Levi had probably kicked them.

“Sorry,” he muttered. Judging from the way the person was kneeling, he’d been the one at fault. You couldn’t exactly intentionally trip someone while digging through your locker, after all.

“It’s okay,” a soft voice answered, masculine tone solving the question of gender. A head raised, and Levi found himself staring down into the bright green eyes of Eren Jeager. He was a senior like Levi, though he, unlike the rest of the graduating class, had transferred in the beginning of the year. They’d never really talked past the occasional class assignment, one of the reasons being that they ran in a very different crowd. Eren was all big eyes, black rimmed glasses, charcoal stained fingers and flushed cheeks while Levi was more black everything, multiple piercings and athletic. Past the classroom their interests didn’t exactly bring them together. “You um, you didn’t hurt me that badly.”

“That’s good,” Levi said distractedly, torn between trying to figure out if the rim of gold around Eren’s left iris was the gleam of the light or natural and the fact that time was ticking. “I’ll leave you to…” he hesitated, grimacing at the mess the other boy called a locker. “whatever it is you’re doing then.”

He was halfway down the hall before he got another response.

“Wait!” Eren called, the slam of his locker echoing after him. The slap of sneakers against tile followed Levi, and he paused at the call.

Turning, Levi met Eren’s eyes once more, though this time they were higher up. They gleamed brightly behind his glasses, brought out by the bright flush of his face. “What is it?”

Eren flushed harder under his attention--an accomplishment on its own, Levi had to admit. The boy was practically red, even under all that tanned skin. “I just--um, that is…”

Levi felt a wave of sympathy at his stutters against his will. Isabel, a childhood friend of his, had had a habit of doing the same. Talking to friends she was as outspoken as one could ever be, but get her in front of a crowd and she was a wreck. Levi had had too many front row seats to the struggles of social anxiety to do anything less than try to soften his normal stare into something more welcoming. “Yes?”

“I like you!” He blurted, after a series of facial contortions that looked as if he was arguing with himself.

Levi blinked. “...excuse me?”

Eren groaned, hiding his face in his hands. They were absent of grey stains, though the shorter male could see a spatter of blue paint on his wrist. “I’m sorry, I know that this--this isn’t exactly normal, but I just… I’ve meant to tell you for a while now, but I’ve never gotten the courage and then you… you just came and you’re alone and I thought--well, I thought... “ Eren trailed off, voice getting softer and more and more disheartened the longer he talked. He dropped his hands in favor of toying with the hem of his t-shirt, his arms blocking the image of a cat’s mug shot. “Nevermind. It was stupid anyways.”

Levi shook his head, crossing his arms because wait, none of this was making sense. “Eren,” he called, when the other male made to turn away. “it’s not stupid.”

“Oh.” Eren blinked, looked dazed at the fact that Levi actually remembered his name. “It--it isn’t?”

“Well, liking me might be.” He reconsidered, head tilting to the side. “I’m not the best choice after all, but I’m flattered I suppose. Though it would help if you told me what you’d like me to do with this information.”

“What I’d…?” Eren blinked some more.

“Do you want to go out?” Levi prompted, raising an eyebrow. “Or are you satisfied with your confession.”

The brunette looked as if he’d just asked him if the sky was red. “No! Of course not! I just… You’d want to go out? Really?” He looked so insecure in that moment, fidgeting with the bottom of his ridiculous shirt, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose and his entire face dipped in red that Levi couldn’t do anything more than tell him the truth.

“Yes, really.” He fished a hand into his shoulderbag, pulling out his phone. “What’s your number?”

“Oh, um, hang on.” Eren slipped a hand into his jeans, tugging his own out and nearly dropping it in the process. “I can never remember it,” he explained, when Levi shot him a questioning look, looking slightly more at ease though no less nervous. His hands shook as he held the phone, voice nearly faltering when he listed out his number. Levi returned the favor, patiently waiting when Eren’s trembling fingers hit the wrong numbers on accident.

“I’ll text you tonight,” Levi told him, once everything was all settled. “is that alright?”

Eren nodded furiously, still looking a bit shellshocked. “Y-yeah, that’s fine.”

Levi let out a soft huff of amusement, turning back towards the locker room with a wave. “Bye, Eren.”

The other male swallowed, voice lilting with the large grin beginning to take over his face. “Bye.”

Levi didn’t even mind that he only had fifteen minutes left to shower.

* * *

“You seem like you’re in a good mood,” Farlan commented after practice, slipping back into his regular clothes. His hair was still damp from the showers and Levi wrinkled his nose at the water dripping down onto the floor.

“He just took a shower,” Erwin, another one of his childhood friends, pointed out on his other side. “of course he’s in a good mood.”

“But he was happy even when he slid into that dirt patch.” Farlan said, finally beginning to towel his hair. “Something had to have happened.”

“Or someone,” Nanaba added, one of the last out of the showers. He was Erwin’s best friend Mike’s boyfriend, and he enjoyed teasing Levi whenever he could.

“If you’re going to discuss my life, can you do it when I’m not around?” Levi sighed, shutting his locker with a dull bang.

“Come now,” Nanaba grinned, wiggling into a pair of shorts. “where’s the fun in that?”

“Besides,” Farlan added. “you didn’t disagree.”

“So what?” He sighed once more, checking his bag to make sure he had everything. “Is it really that important?”

Erwin raised an eyebrow. “Well now I’m curious.”

“Don’t make me get Isabel,” Farlan threatened, shutting his own locker. “she’ll get it out of you for sure.”

Levi’s eyes rolled. “That threat stopped being scary when we were seven. Get a new one.”

“We’re going to find out eventually,” Nanaba pointed out, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “Might as well cough up the details now.”

Levi scowled. “Or you could respect my privacy like decent human beings and leave me the fuck alone.”

Three sounds of disagreement rose from the lot of them, earning another roll of his eyes.

“I was confessed to on my way to the showers ninth period,” he told them. “as soon as I text them tonight I’ll know when we’re going out.”

“Them?” Erwin raised an eyebrow. “Levi, surely you know that isn’t enough information.”

“It’s plenty,” Levi dismissed, stalking out of the locker room without a glance back.

“Come on!” Farlan whined, chasing after him. “Can’t we get a name?”

“Or a gender?” Nanaba added, still trying to tug on his other shoe.

“Maybe a grade?” Erwin chimed in.

Levi sighed. “Eren Jeager. Male. Senior.” He rounded on them, glare fierce. “Happy now?”

It took little to no time for Farlan to burst into laughter. “If you’re telling a joke, yeah. Haven’t you heard Hanji talk about that kid? He’s the complete opposite of anyone we ever thought you’d end up with.”

“Are you doing this just to make fun of him?” Erwin disapproved, lips pressed into a thin line.

“That’s kinda cruel, even for you, shortstack.” Nanaba agreed.

“It’s not a joke,” Levi frowned, almost hurt at the fact that they would think that he would do such a thing. “I meant it.”

Farlan raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Jeager of all people? You know he walked around school with charcoal smeared all over his face once, right? He’s a real art fanatic, meaning he’s messy. You gonna be able to handle that?”

“I have talked to him before you know,” Levi snapped, stalking towards his car with the three in tow. “I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t want to.” He was as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be, and he had no problem telling someone to fuck off. His answer to Eren had been genuine.

“Just don’t break the kid’s heart, okay?” Nanaba frowned. “You may be an asshole sometimes, but I’d like to think that you’re not that much of an asshole.”

“Duly noted.”

* * *

Levi settled into bed with a sigh, his phone in hand. It’d been a long day, one that he’d be grateful to sleep off, but he couldn’t help but play the words the three blondes had left him with over and over in his head.

What was so bad about agreeing to go out with Eren? And why did everyone think that he was going to do something to degrade him? Sure, he was considered ‘popular’ and sure, Eren was more on the fringes, but what did that matter? Eren liked what he’d seen of Levi, Levi liked what he’d seen of Eren. Simple as that. Besides, didn’t everyone say that opposites attract? How were they any different?

He frowned, tapping on his screen to start a new message. With the way the three had acted, and the way Eren had seemed so sure that he would say no… It made him wonder if Eren thought the same as the blondes.

**Can I ask you something?**

The wait for an answer was a short one, leaving no room for Levi to think further or fall asleep.

_Levi! It’s you!_

_...Of course. :)_

He raised an eyebrow. **Who else were you expecting?**

 _No one,_ came Eren’s reply mere seconds later. _It’s just been getting late and I wasn’t sure if I was going to hear from you at all, tbh._

Levi frowned. **Well I suppose you answered my question then.**

Eren, he was finding, was like Hanji. He answered faster than you could even look away. _What?_

**Whether everyone thinks I’m an asshole or not.**

_????_

_I need more information than that._

**Farlan, Erwin and Nanaba are under the impression that I was going to make fun of you.**

_Oh._

Levi stared at the three dots indicating Eren’s incoming response, willing it to make him feel a little bit better about the situation.

_Are you?_

No such luck. **If I wanted to make fun of you I would have done it when you confessed.**

_Well, I’m glad you didn’t then. :)_

He was typing again before Levi could even respond. _And Levi?_

**Yeah?**

_I don’t think you’re an asshole._

Levi’s mouth curved into a smile. **You must be blind and deaf then.**

_No. I just know what I observe, and what I’ve observed isn’t an asshole._

**What am I then?**

_Sarcastic as fuck._

Levi snorted. **Good save.**

_Try the truth._

**Whatever you say, Eren.**

_Now that you’ve asked a question, it’s my turn._

Levi turned onto his side, face pressed into his pillow. **Go ahead then.**

_Why did you say yes?_

**Technically I asked you.**

_You know what I mean >.<_

He finds himself smiling at the face, though he knows that it will annoy him when Hanji does it. But then again, she uses them in nearly every message she sends, sometimes even with more than one. Eren’s are used sparingly, and to portray emotion. It’s, dare he say it, _cute_. **You like me, and I like you. Simple as that.**

_You… like me?_

**We have talked before, Eren.**

_I know that! I just… I thought you only tolerated me._

**Is this tolerating you?**

_No._

_Or at least, I hope not._

**You were right the first time.**

Eren’s reply comes slower this time, like he doesn’t know what to say. _I’m glad?_

Levi snorts. **Are you?**

_Shut up. -.-_

It’s nice to see that Eren’s got some fire after all, though he did say that Levi was sarcastic as fuck. It would be a shame to prove him wrong. **We’re not even talking.**

_I take it back. You are an asshole and I’m going to fall asleep._

**I told you.**

_That I’m going to fall asleep???_

He laughed. **That I’m an asshole.**

_...Maybe a little._

_Can we figure out when we’re actually going to go out? I don’t want to fall asleep on you >.>_

Levi smiled. **Sure, Eren.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired I can't  
> sorry if it sucks


End file.
